A bail escapee, who allegedly assaulted two cops and then sped off in a car with a woman and child on board, has been sniffed out by a police dog and arrested in Lower Hutt.
Wellington Senior Sergeant Nigel Bullock said the 45-year-old man has been arrested after fleeing a police stop in the suburb of Naenae just after 3am this morning.
"Shortly before 3.20am, police signalled for a vehicle to stop on Naenae Road," he said.
"The male passenger in the rear of the vehicle gave false details and was removed from the vehicle and arrested for breach of electronic monitoring bail.
"As the man was being handcuffed, he [allegedly] assaulted two police staff."
Police officers then deployed their tasers, however they weren't enough to subdue the man.
"The man then jumped back into the passenger’s seat of the vehicle before it drove away," Bullock said.
"The police patrol did not initiate a pursuit due to there being a woman and child in the vehicle at the time, and instead maintained observations of the vehicle.
"Shortly afterwards, the vehicle was located abandoned in Epuni Street.
"A dog unit was able to locate the male hiding in the bush before he ran from police again, but he was apprehended a short distance away and taken into custody."
According to Bullock, the man has been charged with breach of bail, escaping police custody and assaulting police. He will appear in court today.
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